Jump to content

Airfix saved- prayer answered


Recommended Posts

Just try some heavy duty masking over acrylics painted on a surface with the merest hint of oil on the plastic - ho, ho! If I could get acrylic to stick then I would use acrylic, but as this never works for me I will be 'sticking' with enamel. Me, old fashioned? Yep, and proud too!

Have any of the old hands felt a sense of closure with Airfix going to Margate, which was after all the home of Frog? Wasn't Hornby acquired by Lines Bros/Triang?

peebeep

Link to post
Share on other sites
Surprised to hear anyone defending Humbrol paint - it must be a British thing! Why anyone would want to waste time using enamels in 2006 is a mystery. I mean seriously, why would you? Acrylics cover better, they dry in seconds, they don't need to be thinned with spirits, they're not toxic... enamels are from another era!

Well Chox, you must be using acrylic paint from another planet - all of the acrylic paints on planet Earth are no match for enamels; can you please tell me what brand you are using and I'll give them a whirl (if I can get hold of any that is)

I don't think it's a British thing, I know that people in other countries use enamels over acrylics.

I don't find using any item that produces the result I want 'a waste of time' - I'm not in a rush to finish any build I'm working on.

I don't think that asking for a quality finish to a paint job is any different in 2006 than it was in 1989 when I first tried acrylic paint - the result I got with them was appalling then and having tried newer acrylic paint this year (summer 2006 - I tried Revell Aqua paint) and my opinion has not changed.

Using Revell Aqua paint, I could neither brush it on nor spray it through my air-brush. So if I can't brush it or spray it on, how exactly am I supposed to apply it? :cheers:

I mean seriously, why would I bother trying to apply paint that you can't brush on spray on that a gives a horrendous finish that does not cover well (and all that wasting time to try to remove the horrible mess that was created by the acrylic paint) when I can apply a nice even coat of Enamel paint that is easy to mix and spray (or brush) that covers well and is easy to clean after use.

Oh, and enamels are from my era. :worship:

As I've said before, if people don't like enamels, fine. All the more for me :cheers:

Karl

Link to post
Share on other sites
Just try some heavy duty masking over acrylics painted on a surface with the merest hint of oil on the plastic - ho, ho! If I could get acrylic to stick then I would use acrylic, but as this never works for me I will be 'sticking' with enamel. Me, old fashioned? Yep, and proud too!

Have any of the old hands felt a sense of closure with Airfix going to Margate, which was after all the home of Frog? Wasn't Hornby acquired by Lines Bros/Triang?

peebeep

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Wasn't Frank Martin the head of Humbrol a few years ago?

Sure I'd read it some where....

Karl

Link to post
Share on other sites

I changed to spray cans for gloss work, 'cos Humbrol gloss white and a brush are a pretty crap combination. I tried some Humbrol acrylic, and thought is was dire. Used some xtracolour this year....ok it needs 2 coats, and I use a yardbrush, but I'm very pleased with it. I haven't tried using masking tape on acrylics yet.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Acrylics have pitiful "biting" strength compared to enamels or even Gunze Mr. Color laquers. If anything, the ONLY acrylics I use are either for brush painting small parts(Vallejo acrylics work well here), or for tinting canopy windshields (Gunze's Aqueous line for me). Outside of that, acrylics are still one of the least preferred medium of paint for me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just goes to show how we're all different, yet can still achieve wonderful results! :crying: I am a die-hard acrylic user (Model Master Acryls only for me, baby!), but I am very happy to know that those who prefer humbrol no longer have to worry about losing their fix!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Karl, you must be doing something really odd with your acrylics then, as they're greatly superior to enamels in all respects. They don't even yellow with age! Coverage is always better, they certainly dry much faster... I'm quite astonished that you've had any problems with them. Why do you think they're so popular? 'Cause they're better! Maybe it's just a case of getting used to the characteristics of something different, but I certainly never had any problems with them. Okay, I'd make the Humbrol acrylics an exception though - they were pretty grim!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used Humbrol acrylics (the old ones in the little flip lid) on a 1/24 Harrier I made back in 2000. I sprayed them at higher pressure than normal and thinned them with windshield washer fluid. I used to have problems with the Lifecolour acrylics until I figured the best way to spray them, which was similar to the above. The new Humbrol acrylics showed promise. I also use Tamiya (for basic colours) and Gunze (when I can get them) but I'm still working through my old AMD acrylics.

I've airbrushed enamels from Humbrol (old and new), Xtracolour, DBI to Aeromaster enamels but I still prefer using acrylics.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Karl, you must be doing something really odd with your acrylics then, as they're greatly superior to enamels in all respects. They don't even yellow with age! Coverage is always better, they certainly dry much faster... I'm quite astonished that you've had any problems with them. Why do you think they're so popular? 'Cause they're better! Maybe it's just a case of getting used to the characteristics of something different, but I certainly never had any problems with them. Okay, I'd make the Humbrol acrylics an exception though - they were pretty grim!
  • Nope, not doing anything odd with them, just trying to use them as paint and, er, they don't.
  • No, they are not superior at all, neither are they better in any respect..
  • I don't want to get used to some thing different, I'm happy with enamels..

'nuf said, I think.

Karl

Edited by karlwb
Link to post
Share on other sites

well if you're happy with enamels that's your choice of course, but don't be surprised if they disappear completely eventually as fewer and fewer people use them and more silly European health & safety rules come-in. I think it a safe bet that sooner or later, the enamels will become uneconomic to produce.

Link to post
Share on other sites
well if you're happy with enamels that's your choice of course, but don't be surprised if they disappear completely eventually as fewer and fewer people use them and more silly European health & safety rules come-in. I think it a safe bet that sooner or later, the enamels will become uneconomic to produce.

Er, yes - whatever....... :D

Edited by karlwb
Link to post
Share on other sites
Some of us prefer the wide range of colours, consistency of finish and availability of enamels. Acrylics have never impressed me :cheers:

Yes,

will agree with you on this one. I am trying some xtracrylix at the moment and they are not too bad, their varnish though is excellent.

anyone here tried the the new revel aqua colour?

Julien

Link to post
Share on other sites
anyone here tried the the new revel aqua colour?

Julien

Yes, and I was highly disappointed. From the reviews I'd read I was hoping for good results, but it was hopeless; far worse than the old Humbrol acrylics, and that's saying something.

I could not get it to brush on or spray on, and when did manage to daub (I won't say paint) some on with a brush it rubs right off with only light pressure.

Surely, I must be doing something wrong, the can't really be that bad...............

Karl

Link to post
Share on other sites

yeh I have tried the new Revel Aqua did a mini review some months ago. Heres a linky. There not bad.

I have virtually switched completely to acrylic now after being a life long Humbrol enamel user. They took some getting used, but I perservered and think my results with them are comparable if not better than my results with enamels. I`m now using mainly Vallejo and Xtracrylix.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Yes,

will agree with you on this one. I am trying some xtracrylix at the moment and they are not too bad, their varnish though is excellent.

anyone here tried the the new revel aqua colour?

Julien

Acylic's? Personally...I LOVE' em!! Especially Xtracrylic's! Admittedly it has take a while to really get used to them (as I was a diehard enamel sort of guy!!) but thats all I use nowadays (unless I need a colour not included in their range).

I have indeed used one of the Revell Acrylic's - the red tail of my 56 Sqn FGR2 tomb...

100_3193.jpg

.....and it sprayed on FANTASTICALLY!! I have the Revell rep coming into the shop soon (no doubt trying to give away the next to useless Revell Enamel's.. ), and I may get him to do m ea deal on a small supply of Acrylic's.

One comment on Acrylic's vs Enamel's! The latter outsells the former by 3 to 1 (despite my best efforts).

I have attempted to "educate" my customers of the benefits of Acrylic, but most remain unconvinced - and love their Humbrol and Xtracolor.

Edited by Bill Clark
Link to post
Share on other sites

Nudging this back on topic a bit. But I have just ran back from the IPMS UK website and the SMW 2006 forum. On there they have a list of traders who will be there. It states this list is accurate as of 13/11/06 and Airfix is on it. So maybe I'll get to see that Lifeboat after all. Cool.

Nigel.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...